B-137998, DEC 9, 1958
Highlights
WAS AUTHORIZED TRANSPORTATION OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY. USE OF PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE WAS DETERMINED ADMINISTRATIVELY TO BE MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. WE NOTE THAT IN BLOCK 16 OF THE TRAVEL ORDER JUST OPPOSITE THE STATEMENT THAT THE USE OF A PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE IS DETERMINED TO BE MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT THERE IS TYPED IN " - WHEN ACCOMPANIED BY DEPENDENTS. AN EXPLANATION IS FURNISHED THAT THE USE OF TWO AUTOMOBILES WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER THAT MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY BE AT BOTH LOCATIONS AT THE SAME TIME TO PROPERLY HANDLE THE SALE OF HIS RESIDENCE IN YAKIMA AND TO PURCHASE OR OBTAIN LIVING QUARTERS IN FRESNO. THE EMPLOYEE ALSO HAS FURNISHED A COMPARATIVE COST STATEMENT SHOWING THAT THERE WAS A SAVINGS TO THE GOVERNMENT BY USING THE TWO AUTOMOBILES RATHER THAN BY USING COMMON CARRIER FOR HIMSELF AND DEPENDENTS.
B-137998, DEC 9, 1958
PRECIS-UNAVAILABLE
HARRY NUNN, DEPT OF COMMERCE:
ON NOVEMBER 19, 1958, THE CHIEF, AUDIT DIVISION, BUDGET AND FINANCE OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, FORWARDED HERE YOUR LETTER OF NOVEMBER 5, 1958, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING OUR DECISION UPON THE PROPRIETY OF CERTIFYING FOR PAYMENT THE RECLAIM VOUCHER THEREWITH SUBMITTED IN FAVOR OF MR. DALTON D. ALLEN FOR $8.57. THE VOUCHER REPRESENTS AN AMOUNT ADMINISTRATIVELY SUSPENDED FOR THE EMPLOYEE'S TRANSPORTATION INCIDENT TO AN OFFICIAL CHANGE OF STATION.
TRAVEL ORDER DATED AUGUST 13, 1958, DIRECTED MR. ALLEN TO MAKE A CHANGE OF OFFICIAL STATION FROM YAKIMA, WASHINGTON, TO FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. WAS AUTHORIZED TRANSPORTATION OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY, TRAVEL BY COMMON CARRIER, AND TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE AT A MILEAGE RATE OF TEN CENTS. USE OF PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE WAS DETERMINED ADMINISTRATIVELY TO BE MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. WE NOTE THAT IN BLOCK 16 OF THE TRAVEL ORDER JUST OPPOSITE THE STATEMENT THAT THE USE OF A PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE IS DETERMINED TO BE MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT THERE IS TYPED IN " - WHEN ACCOMPANIED BY DEPENDENTS, OTHERWISE 7[ PER MILE." THE EMPLOYEE'S DEPENDENTS MADE THE TRIP ON AUGUST 29 AND 30, 1958, BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE, AND REIMBURSEMENT AT TEN CENTS PER MILE HAS BEEN ALLOWED FOR THEIR TRAVEL. THE EMPLOYEE MADE THE TRIP ON SEPTEMBER 2 AND 3, 1958, TRAVELING BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE AND RECLAIMS MILEAGE AT THE RATE OF SEVEN CENTS PER MILE. AN EXPLANATION IS FURNISHED THAT THE USE OF TWO AUTOMOBILES WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER THAT MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY BE AT BOTH LOCATIONS AT THE SAME TIME TO PROPERLY HANDLE THE SALE OF HIS RESIDENCE IN YAKIMA AND TO PURCHASE OR OBTAIN LIVING QUARTERS IN FRESNO. THE EMPLOYEE ALSO HAS FURNISHED A COMPARATIVE COST STATEMENT SHOWING THAT THERE WAS A SAVINGS TO THE GOVERNMENT BY USING THE TWO AUTOMOBILES RATHER THAN BY USING COMMON CARRIER FOR HIMSELF AND DEPENDENTS.
YOUR DOUBT IN THE MATTER ARISES BECAUSE OF OUR DECISION OF AUGUST 11, 1947, B-67806 (27 COMP. GEN. 57). IN THAT DECISION WE HELD THAT WHEN TRAVEL OF AN EMPLOYEE AND HIS DEPENDENTS TO A NEW DUTY STATION IS PERFORMED BY MEANS OF MORE THAN ONE PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE, MILEAGE MAY BE ALLOWED FOR THE USE OF ONE AUTOMOBILE, UNLESS IT IS SHOWN THAT TRANSPORTATION IN ONE AUTOMOBILE WAS NOT FEASIBLE, EVEN THOUGH THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY BY RAIL WOULD EXCEED THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF MILEAGE FOR THE USE OF MORE THAN ONE AUTOMOBILE. IN THE INSTANT CASE THE EMPLOYEE'S EXPLANATION AS TO THE REASONS FOR THE SEPARATE TRAVEL APPEARS REASONABLE AND MAY BE ACCEPTED AS ESTABLISHING THAT TRANSPORTATION OF THE EMPLOYEE AND HIS FAMILY IN ONE AUTOMOBILE WAS NOT FEASIBLE.
THE RECLAIM VOUCHER REPRESENTING THE PAYMENT OF MILEAGE FOR TRANSPORATION OF MR. ALLEN IS RETURNED AND IT MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT, IF OTHERWISE CORRECT.